U.S. patent application number 11/330732 was filed with the patent office on 2009-06-04 for apparatus for removing toxic material from toxic weapon projectiles.
Invention is credited to James D. Osterloh.
Application Number | 20090139391 11/330732 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34750410 |
Filed Date | 2009-06-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090139391 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Osterloh; James D. |
June 4, 2009 |
APPARATUS FOR REMOVING TOXIC MATERIAL FROM TOXIC WEAPON
PROJECTILES
Abstract
An apparatus useful in the removal of toxic materials from toxic
weapon projectiles has a base, a projectile retaining container and
a ram. The projectile retaining container has a projectile retainer
opening, a ram opening and a drain opening. The projectile
retaining container is adapted to retain a toxic weapon projectile
in the projectile retainer opening. The ram is adapted to extend
into a toxic weapon projectile disposed within the projectile
retaining container to crush the projectile's burster well and to
thereby release toxic materials to the drain opening in the
projectile retaining container. The ram alternatively includes high
pressure water nozzles for breaking up any coagulant particles and
for thoroughly rinsing the interior side walls of the toxic weapon
projectile.
Inventors: |
Osterloh; James D.; (West
Richland, WA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
SHELDON MAK ROSE & ANDERSON PC
100 Corson Street, Third Floor
PASADENA
CA
91103-3842
US
|
Family ID: |
34750410 |
Appl. No.: |
11/330732 |
Filed: |
January 11, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10763434 |
Jan 21, 2004 |
|
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11330732 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
86/49 |
Current CPC
Class: |
C06B 21/0091 20130101;
F42B 33/062 20130101; Y10S 588/90 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
86/49 |
International
Class: |
F42B 33/06 20060101
F42B033/06 |
Claims
1. An apparatus useful in the removal of toxic material from a
toxic weapon projectile having a casing, a burster well, a base and
an ogive, the apparatus comprising: a) a base; b) a projectile
retaining container disposed on the base for accepting and
retaining the ogive of a toxic weapon projectile, the projectile
retaining container having a projectile retainer opening, a ram
opening and a drain opening; c) a ram disposed on the base and
extending upwards through the ram opening into the projectile
retaining container, the ram including a ram head having one or
more spray nozzles, the ram being extendible and retractable
between (1) a retracted ram position wherein the ram is disposed
proximate to the ram opening, and (2) an extended ram position
wherein the ram is disposed distal to the ram opening, the ram
being capable of delivering sufficient force across the ram head to
crush the burster well of a toxic weapon projectile retained within
the projectile retaining container; d) a projectile retainer
opening seal for sealing the ogive of a toxic weapon projectile
within the projectile retaining opening; and e) a ram opening seal
for sealing the ram within the ram opening.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a rotator for
rotating a toxic weapon projectile retained within the projectile
retaining container.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a projectile base
end retainer member.
4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the projectile base end
retainer member is moveable between (1) a first retainer member
position wherein the retainer member is directly above the
projectile retaining container and (2) a second retainer member
position wherein the retainer member is not disposed directly above
the projectile retaining container.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the projectile retaining
container has a projectile retaining container upper portion and a
projectile retaining container lower portion, and wherein the
projectile retainer opening is defined in the projectile retaining
container upper portion and the ram opening and the drain opening
are defined in the projectile retaining container lower
portion.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the projectile retainer opening
seal comprises a fluorocarbon polymer liner disposed within the
projectile retaining container.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the ram is capable of
delivering at least about 100 tons of force across the ram
head.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the one or more spray nozzles
are capable of accepting washing fluid at pressures in excess of
5,000 psig.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the ogive of the projectile
defines a round central ogive opening having a diameter, wherein
the ram has a circular cross-section with a diameter, and wherein
the difference between the diameter of the central ogive opening
and the diameter of the ram is less than about 0.1 inch.
10. An apparatus useful in the removal of toxic material from a
toxic weapon projectile having a casing, a burster well, a base and
an ogive, the apparatus comprising: a) a base; b) a projectile
retaining container having an upper portion and a lower portion,
the projectile retaining container being disposed on the base for
accepting and retaining the ogive of a toxic weapon projectile, the
projectile retaining container defining a projectile retainer
opening in the upper portion of the projectile retaining container,
a ram opening in the lower portion of the projectile retaining
container and a drain opening in the lower portion of the
projectile retaining container; c) a ram disposed on the base and
extending upwards through the ram opening into the projectile
retaining container, the ram including a ram head having one or
more spray nozzles, the ram being extendible and retractable
between (1) a retracted ram position wherein the ram is disposed
proximate to the ram opening, and (2) an extended ram position
wherein the ram is disposed distal to the ram opening; d) a
projectile retainer opening seal for sealing the ogive of a toxic
weapon projectile within the projectile retaining opening; e) a ram
opening seal for sealing the ram within the ram opening; f) a
rotator for rotating a toxic weapon projectile retained within the
projectile retaining container; and g) a projectile base end
retaining member, the projectile base end retaining member being
moveable between (1) a first retainer member position wherein the
retainer member is directly above the projectile retaining
container and (2) a second retainer member position wherein the
retainer member is not disposed directly above the projectile
retaining container.
11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the projectile retainer
opening seal comprises a fluorocarbon polymer liner disposed within
the projectile retaining container.
12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the ogive of the projectile
defines a round central ogive opening having a diameter, wherein
the ram has a circular cross-section with a diameter, and wherein
the difference between the diameter of the central ogive opening
and the diameter of the ram is less than about 0.1 inch.
13. (canceled)
14. (canceled)
15. (canceled)
16. (canceled)
17. (canceled)
18. (canceled)
19. (canceled)
20. (canceled)
21. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the ram is capable of
delivering between about 50 tons of force and about 60 tons of
force across the ram head.
22. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the ram is capable of
delivering between about 50 tons of force and about 60 tons of
force across the ram head.
Description
RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a continuation of pending application
Ser. No. 10/763,434, filed on Jan. 21, 2004.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The removal of toxic materials from toxic weapon
projectiles, such as chemical weapon projectiles, is a major
problem for all nations having aging toxic weapons. Typically, the
toxic materials within such projectiles are extremely lethal and
cannot be dealt with except under extremely secured conditions.
[0003] Many of the toxic materials used in toxic chemical weapon
projectiles are liquid in form. For such projectiles, prior methods
for removing the toxic material from the projectiles generally
entail disposing a suction tube into the toxic agent cavity of the
projectiles and vacuuming out the toxic material from the cavity.
The problems with such methods are several-fold. First of all, the
methods are of no use where some or all of the toxic materials are
non-liquid in form. This is a considerable problem because many of
the liquid toxic materials tend to coagulate with age and form
large solid masses within the toxic agent cavity. Secondly, such
prior art methods do nothing towards removing the considerable
amount of toxic materials which continue to adhere to the interior
walls of the projectile.
[0004] Accordingly, there is a need for an apparatus for removing
toxic materials from toxic weapon projectiles which avoids these
problems in the prior art in a simple, inexpensive and efficient
manner.
SUMMARY
[0005] The invention satisfies this need. The invention is an
apparatus useful in the removal of toxic material from a toxic
weapon projectile having a casing, a burster well, a base and an
ogive. The apparatus comprises a) a base, b) a projectile retaining
container disposed on the base for accepting and retaining the
ogive of a toxic weapon projectile, the projectile retaining
container having a projectile retainer opening, a ram opening and a
drain opening, c) a ram disposed on the base and extending upwards
through the ram opening into the projectile retaining container,
the ram including a ram head having one or more spray nozzles, the
ram being extendible and retractable between (1) a retracted ram
position wherein the ram is disposed proximate to the ram opening,
and (2) an extended ram position wherein the ram is disposed distal
to the ram opening; d) a projectile retainer opening seal for
sealing the ogive of a toxic weapon projectile within the
projectile retaining opening; and e) a ram opening seal for sealing
the ram within the ram opening.
DRAWINGS
[0006] These features, aspects and advantages of the present
invention will become better understood with regard to the
following description, appended claims and accompanying figures
where:
[0007] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a typical toxic weapon
projectile useable in the apparatus of the invention;
[0008] FIG. 2 is a perspective of an apparatus of the invention
useful in the removal of toxic materials from toxic weapon
projectiles;
[0009] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the apparatus illustrated in
FIG. 2 showing a chemical weapon projectile initially mounted in
the apparatus;
[0010] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the apparatus illustrated in
FIG. 3 shown with the projectile rigidly secured within the
apparatus;
[0011] FIG. 5 is a perspective of the apparatus and projectile
illustrated in FIG. 4 showing the ram portion of the apparatus
fully extended into the projectile;
[0012] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional diagram schematically
illustrating the interior portions of the projectile retaining
container used in the apparatus illustrated in FIGS. 2-5;
[0013] FIG. 7 is a perspective, exploded view of the ram useable in
the apparatus illustrated in FIGS. 2-5;
[0014] FIG. 8 is a side view of the ram useable in the apparatus
illustrated in FIGS. 2-5;
[0015] FIG. 9 is a plan view of the ram illustrated in FIG. 8;
[0016] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional side view of the ram
illustrated in FIG. 9, taken along lines 10-10;
[0017] FIG. 11A is a perspective cutaway view of a projectile
showing how the ram crushes the interior components of the
projectile as it extends upwardly;
[0018] FIG. 11B is a perspective cutaway view of the projectile
illustrated in FIG. 11A showing how the projectile is rotated while
the interior of the projectile is washed with high pressure washing
fluid;
[0019] FIG. 11C is a perspective cutaway view of the projectile
illustrated in FIGS. 11A and 11B showing the interior of the
projectile after the ram is retracted therefrom; and
[0020] FIG. 12 is a front view of the apparatus illustrated in
FIGS. 2-5.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0021] The following discussion describes in detail one embodiment
of the invention and several variations of that embodiment. This
discussion should not be construed, however, as limiting the
invention to those particular embodiments. Practitioners skilled in
the art will recognize numerous other embodiments as well.
[0022] The invention is directed to the removal of toxic materials
1 from a toxic weapon projectile 2 such as illustrated in FIG. 1. A
typical toxic weapon projectile 2 has a steel outer casing 3 and a
centrally disposed burster well 4. The burster well 4 and the outer
steel casing 3 cooperate together to define and seal off a toxic
agent cavity 5. When the projectile 2 is ready to be detoxified,
the projectile's conical fuse has been removed from the ogive 6 of
the projectile 2 and all explosive material has been removed from
the burster well 4. The removal of the projectile's conical fuse
leaves a central opening 7 in the ogive 6.
[0023] The invention is a unique apparatus 10 and a method for
using the apparatus 10. The apparatus 10 comprises a base 12, a
projectile retaining container 14 and a ram 16.
[0024] The base 12 can be of any suitable size and shape capable of
retaining a toxic weapon projectile 2, the projectile retaining
container 14 and the ram 16 during operation. Typically, the base
12 is made with steel structural components.
[0025] The projectile retaining container 14 is disposed on the
base 12 and is adapted for accepting and retaining the ogive 6 of a
toxic weapon projectile 2. The projectile retaining container 14
defines a projectile retainer opening 18, a ram opening 20 and a
drain opening 22. The projectile retaining container 14 is best
understood by reference to FIG. 6.
[0026] The projectile retaining container 14 also includes a
projectile retainer opening seal 24 for sealing the ogive 6 of a
toxic weapon projectile 2 within the projectile retaining opening
18. In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, the projectile
retainer opening seal 24 is provided by a liner 26 disposed within
the interior of the projectile retaining container 14. The liner 26
is typically made from a fluorocarbon polymer, such as
polytetrafluoroethylene, marketed by the DuPont Company of
Wilmington, Del. under the Teflon.RTM. trademark. The liner 26 is
retained within the projectile retaining container 14 by a liner
retention ring 28. Preferably, the liner 26 is biased towards the
top of the projectile retaining container 14 by springs 30 or other
biasing means disposed between the liner retention ring 28 and the
liner 26.
[0027] A resilient gasket 32, such as a rubber gasket, is attached
to the bottom of the liner 26 to provide a primary means for
preventing toxic material from upwardly escaping through the
projectile retainer opening 18 along the sides of the ogive 6.
Preferably, the interface between the ogive 6 and the liner 26 also
forms a tortuous path to further impede the escape of toxic
material from the projectile retainer opening 18.
[0028] The ram 16 is disposed on the base 12 and extends into the
ram opening 20 in the projectile retaining container 14. The ram 16
is extendable and retractable between (1) a retracted ram position
wherein the ram 16 is disposed proximal to the ram opening 20, and
(2) an extended ram position wherein the ram 16 is disposed distal
to the ram opening 20. In a typical embodiment, the travel distance
between the retracted ram position and the extended ram position is
between about 41/8 inches and 65/8 inches.
[0029] The ram 16 includes a ram head 34 which comprises a ram head
cap 36 retained on the ram 16 by a ram head cap bolt 38.
[0030] The diameter of the ram 16 is chosen to closely match the
diameter of the central opening 7 in the ogive 6 of the projectile
2 into which the ram 16 will be extended. For example, where the
projectile 2 is a 105 mm projectile or a 155 mm projectile, the
diameter of the central opening 7 in the ogive 6 is 1.845 inches.
For these projectiles 2, the diameter of the ram 16 is chosen in
one embodiment to be about 1.75 inches, leaving an annulus between
the ram 16 and the central opening 7 in the ogive 6 of less than
about 0.05 inches, for example about 0.047 inches. Choosing the
diameter of the ram 16 to match the central opening 7 in the ogive
6 in this manner, effectively prevents the escape of any large
coagulant particles within the toxic materials 1 from the
projectile 2 along the ram 16 and into the projectile retaining
container 14. This aspect of the invention is significant because
it precludes the necessity for specialized downstream equipment to
collect and process large coagulant particles.
[0031] The ram 16 is adapted with appropriate hydraulic equipment
40 to extend upwardly and retract downwardly. In a typical
embodiment, the ram 16 is designed to deliver at least about 100
tons of force across the ram head 34. In operation, the ram 16
typically delivers between about 50 tons of force and 60 tons of
force during the time the ram 16 is used to crush the burster well
4 of the projectile 2 (as described below).
[0032] Preferably, the ram 16 includes one or more spray nozzles 42
capable of accepting washing fluid at pressures in excess of 5,000
psig and dispensing such washing fluid at high velocities.
[0033] As can be most easily seen in FIG. 6, a ram opening seal 44
is disposed within the ram opening 20 to seal the ram 16 to the
projectile retaining container 14.
[0034] Preferably, the apparatus 10 further comprises a rotator 46
for rotating a toxic weapon projectile 2 retained within the
projectile retaining container 14. In the embodiment illustrated in
the drawings, the rotator 46 comprises a drive wheel capable of
contacting the exterior of a toxic weapon projectile 2 disposed
within the apparatus 10 and rotating such projectile 2 about its
longitudinal axis. The apparatus further comprises a plurality of
idler wheels 47 to help retain the projectile 2 in place during its
rotation.
[0035] The apparatus 10 also preferably comprises a projectile base
end retainer member 48 for rigidly retaining a toxic weapon
projectile 2 within the apparatus 10. The projectile base end
retainer member 48 is best seen in FIGS. 2-5. FIGS. 4 and 5
illustrate the projectile base end retainer member 48 disposed in a
first retainer member position wherein the projectile base end
retainer member 48 is directly above the projectile retaining
container 14 so as to contact the base end 50 of the projectile 2
disposed within the projectile retaining container 14 and to
rigidly retain the projectile 2 with the projectile retaining
container 14. FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate the projectile base end
retainer member 48 in a second retainer member position wherein the
projectile base end retainer member 48 is not disposed directly
above the projectile retaining container 14, so as to facilitate
the installation and uninstallation of a toxic weapon projectile 2
into and from the apparatus 10.
[0036] In operation, the projectile base end retainer member 48 is
moved to the second retainer member position and a toxic weapon
projectile 2, without fuse and explosive materials, is disposed
downwardly into the projectile retaining container 14. The
projectile base end member 48 is then moved to the first retainer
member position, whereby the projectile base end retainer member 48
firmly retains the projectile 2 within the apparatus 10.
[0037] The ram 16 is then extended from the retracted ram position
towards the extended ram position. As the ram 16 extends towards
the extended ram position, it pushes upwardly into the toxic weapon
projectile 2. As the ram 16 pushes upwardly into the toxic weapon
projectile 2, it crushes the burster well 4, as illustrated in
FIGS. 11A-11C. As this occurs, the toxic material 1 within the
toxic agent cavity 5 is released and gravitates downwardly out
through the open lower end of the projectile 2 and into the
projectile retaining container 14, from where it is removed from
the projectile retaining container 14 via the drain opening 22.
[0038] After the ram 16 has crushed the burster well 4 as
illustrated in FIG. 11C, it is withdrawn towards the retracted ram
position a short distance of between about one quarter inch and
about one inch, typically about one half inch by retracting the ram
16. By retracting the ram 16, the ram 16 tends to become disengaged
from the burster well 4, allowing the projectile 2 to rotate.
Thereafter, high pressure water or other suitable washing fluid is
sprayed from the one or more spray nozzles 42 in the ram 16 to
effectively break up most all coagulated toxic materials 1 and to
thoroughly flush most remaining toxic materials 1 from the interior
walls of the projectile 2. As the high pressure washing fluid is
emitted from the one or more spray nozzles 42, the projectile 2 is
rotated by the rotator 46 so that extreme turbulence is generated
throughout the entirety of the toxic materials 1 (to break up most
all coagulant particles), and so that all portions of the interior
walls of the projectile 2 are thoroughly flushed with washing
fluid. All of the washing fluid gravitates out of the projectile 2
and into the projectile retaining container 14 from where it is
removed via the drain opening 22. Because the diameter of the ram
16 is chosen to closely match the diameter of the central opening 7
in the ogive 6, the annulus between the ram 16 and the central
opening 7 is very small, so that only very small particles can
escape into the projectile retaining container 14. In embodiments
wherein the difference between the diameter of the ram 16 and the
central opening 7 is less than about 0.1 inch, generally only
particles of 0.05 inch or smaller can escape into the projectile
retaining container 14.
[0039] After the projectile 2 has been flushed in the manner
described above, the projectile 2 retains less than about 2% (by
weight), typically less than about 0.1% (by weight), of its initial
toxic material pay load. Thereafter, the projectile base end
retainer member 48 is moved from the first retainer member position
to the second retainer member position and the projectile 2 is
removed from the apparatus 10 for further detoxification.
[0040] The invention provides a simple but reliable apparatus and
method for removing most of the toxic materials from toxic weapon
projectiles.
[0041] Having thus described the invention, it should be apparent
that numerous structural modifications and adaptations may be
resorted to without departing from the scope and fair meaning of
the instant invention as set forth hereinabove.
* * * * *